Research from the University of São Paulo and Imperial College London indicates that plant-based ultra-processed foods may increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, contradicting their healthy marketing claims. The study calls for updated dietary guidelines that emphasize less processed foods. A significant study reveals that plant-based ultra-processed foods are linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, suggesting a need for dietary shifts towards less processed options.
New analysis of the health impacts of plant-based ultra-processed foods (UPFs) has found they may pose a higher risk for cardiovascular diseases compared to less-processed plant-based foods. The research, led by the University of São Paulo and involving Imperial College London , used data from more than 118,000 people. It suggests that while plant-based diets are linked with reduced disease risk, overall, UPFs were linked with worse health outcomes.
They find that eating plant-based UPFs was linked with a 7% increase in the risk of cardiovascular diseases, compared with eating unprocessed plant-based foods. They also found that the all consumption of UPFs (animal-based and plant-based) was linked with a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases and dying from these diseases. Marketing Versus Reality of Plant-Based UPFs According to the researchers, their findings – published in the journal Lancet Regional Health – indicate that while plant-based UPFs may be marketed as healthy alternat.
